1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector having a movable member for assisting or performing a connection with a mating connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A lever-type connector has a main body with an outer surface and a support shaft that projects from the outer surface. The connector also has a lever with a plate-shaped arm that extends along the outer surface of the main body. The arm has a bearing hole and a cam groove with an entrance. The bearing hole is supported rotatably on a support shaft of the main body. Thus, the lever can rotate between a connection starting position where the entrance of the cam groove faces a mating connector and a connection ending position rotated angularly from the connection starting position. The mating connector has a cam follower that can fit in the entrance of the cam groove when the lever is at the connection starting position. The lever then is rotated towards the connection ending position. Thus, the cam groove engages the cam follower and pulls the connectors towards a connected state.
A resilient locking piece could be provided on the outer surface of the main body for holding the lever at the connection starting position or the connection ending position. The locking piece is deformed by interference with the inner surface of the arm in the process of rotating the lever. However, the locking piece is restored resiliently and engages the arm to prevent rotation of the lever when the lever is at the connection starting position or the connection ending position. The resilient locking piece is held resiliently in sliding contact with the inner surface of the arm during at least a part of the lever rotating process. Thus, a force is exerted on the arm of the lever in a direction away from the outer surface of the main body and in a direction to disengage the bearing hole from the supporting shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,671 discloses a connector with a retaining means for preventing disengagement of the bearing hole from the support shaft. More particularly, the connector has a retainer that projects radially at the leading end of the support shaft. A notch is formed at the opening edge of the bearing hole for receiving the retainer. The lever can be mounted on or removed from the support shaft only at one rotational posture of the lever. In other postures, the retainer engages the opening edge of the bearing hole from the outer side to prevent the bearing hole from being engaged and disengaged.
The above-described retaining means may not function as intended. For example, the retainer and the notch could be aligned while the resilient locking piece is pressing the lever. In this situation, the resilient pressing force exerted by the resilient locking piece could disengage the bearing hole from the support shaft.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to prevent a movable member from being displaced along the longitudinal direction of a supporting shaft due to a resilient pressing force from a resilient locking piece that prevents the movement of the movable member.